  "After working all day, coming home to an empty kitchen is hard. The juice is always the first thing to go.
"But we are so lucky. We can come here and get a good hot meal or a bag of groceries that will pull us through." Read this and other stories of people we help. |
  Free Tax AssistanceAn essential part of the Food Bank's financial empowerment efforts, the Free Tax Assistance Program provides low- to moderate-income New Yorkers with free tax preparation services as well as information on how to access the various credits they are entitled to. As evidenced by the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) — which alone can be worth up to $6,360 for individuals and families — our free tax services can constitute a significant step from food poverty toward self-sufficiency. In 2008 alone, the Free Tax Assistance Program prepared more than 50,000 tax returns that provided approximately $100 million in earned income tax credits, benefits and stimulus payments for New York's low-income individuals and households. The Free Tax Assistance Program operates 12 assistance sites throughout the five boroughs, including the Food Bank's Harlem Food & Finance Center and a mobile unit, during the January–April tax season — staffed mainly by volunteer tax preparers from corporations and law schools. In addition, the Food Bank's Food & Finance Center provides year-round assistance on late filings, prior-year returns and other financial and budgetary issues. The program is also made possible through additional partnerships with the City of New York, the Internal Revenue Service, community organizations and unions. New Yorkers are eligible for free tax assistance if they earn $40,000 or less with dependent children, or $20,000 or less without dependent children. In addition, self-employed people, such as taxi drivers and childcare providers, are eligible for tax credits and free tax preparation.
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 An affiliate of Feeding America © 2008 Food Bank For New York City. Site by Four Eyes. The Food Bank For New York City name, program names and materials are registered trade and service marks. |